'My grandma fractured her pelvis in broad daylight, and no one stopped to help'

In social psychology, there is a phenomenon known as the ‘bystander effect’.

Essentially, it means people are less likely to help a victim when there are other people present - whether it be due to the diffusion of responsibility, uncertainty in the situation, or the absence of relation to the victim.

On Saturday, I witnessed this first-hand when my 76-year-old grandmother had a fall and fractured her pelvis.

After an afternoon of dumplings and the 2:30pm screening of Book Club, my mother, grandmother and I ducked into the shops to pick up a couple of things.

'Not one person stopped to offer my Nan help when she fell in a busy supermarket.' (Supplied)
As we headed towards the supermarket, I turned around to give the self-proclaimed ‘Kath and Kim’ duo a cheeky hurry up when I saw my Nan slip and fly through the air, landing on her left hip.

The pain was instant and left my very able grandmother writhing in absolute agony. Shaking with shock, I ran over and frantically began dialling 000.

Mum was on the ground with Nan trying to help in any way she could, while I watched on with a sunken heart, trying to find the words to tell the ambulance service what had happened and where we were.

Meanwhile, not one person around us got up to help.

Ashley (second from left) and her mother were the only people present who helped her Nan (far right). (Supplied)
There was a ‘spring fair’ happening in the mall, with hundreds of people around trying food and visiting stalls.

Directly in the pathway where my Nan fell were five young boys and a couple in their thirties not even two metres away.

The people who had been walking next to her swiftly picked up their pace and moved on to avoid any responsibility of helping – or perhaps they just didn’t want to ruin their Saturday afternoon by dealing with a medical emergency.

It was abhorrent. As a psychology major, I knew why it was happening – but could barely conceive why no one was helping my beautiful Nan.

'Nan is still on strong painkillers.' (Supplied)
While the bystander effect is a recognised phenomenon, I have to wonder: are we such a desensitised, self-centred society that we would prefer to step over an injured woman than check she’s OK?

I sure as hell wouldn’t think twice about helping someone who was injured.

Since her fall, Nan is on strong pain killers and is struggling to do anything for herself, having to use a walker just to get from one room to another. It will take weeks for her to return to her sassy, sprightly self and due to her age, she will now always have to deal with the repercussions of her injury.

Her story illustrated the fact we can – and should - do better. If you see someone in distress, do something. Don’t be a bystander.